Already have card debt that you’re slowly paying off? Give yourself a break by transferring the balance to one of these cards. Remember;
- The balance transfer rate usually applies for a set period such as 6 months. Use this time to make the biggest dent on your credit card debt.
- The transfer often has to happen when you first apply for your card, so check that you give the details of your other card when applying.
More Than One Interest Rate Applies
There is usually more than one interest rate that applies to a card:
- One rate for balances that you transfer;
- Another for purchases that you make and often;
- A third rate for cash advances.
If you make purchases with your card during the introductory period, your repayments will usually be put towards your transferred balance rather than to your new purchases.
This means that your purchases will start to attract interest at the purchase rate.
Handy Tip
One option is to switch to your new card gradually. Hold onto your old card and use it for new purchases until your balance transfer period has finished. Only then switch over to your new card for new purchases.
This goes to show that the ongoing purchase rate matters in the long term – so consider that rate as well when choosing your new card.
As always, review the terms and conditions before applying for your chosen credit card. This information is a summary and provides general information that may not apply to every card.
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